Lisa Wisdom from Style with Wisdom is a personal stylist and shopper who is based in St Albans and has a big passion for fashion. Lisa is great at pre loved style ideas and helps her clients feel confident about their style and their bodies by using a mix of new, already owned and second hand garments to refresh and restyle their wardrobes. I met Lisa back in February 2020 before social distancing and lock downs began at her sustainable Fashion Style Swap event which was a big success. So as part of recycle week I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to invite Lisa onto my blog to share her tips on ways to dress more sustainably .
Over to you Lisa……
Buzz words of the moment…….pre loved style, second-hand fashion, ethical clothes, recycled style, wear your wardrobe, organic fibres, reuse, Fairtrade, slow fashion …………how do I feel about all this????? I LOVE IT!!!!
Having worked in the fashion industry for over 20 years now I am absolutely thrilled to see how Sustainable Fashion & Style is finally at the forefront of the designers, retailers and consumers mind more than it has ever been before.
I must have worked on my first Fair Trade range back in 2006, quite a new concept and by far my most challenge project as organic cotton and fair trade was hard to get your hands on and it raised many questions about why it was so hard!
However, fast forward 14 years and its finally become a staple existence in the fashion industry with a majority (it is still very much work in progress) of existing big player retailers working hard in the background to ensure they are moving towards ethical and sustainably sourced yarns and products, whether they be organic natural fibres or recycled fabrics and the most exciting thing of all is how we have new emerging brands such as Tommy & Lottie, brought to us by Katie Carr, a range that is born out of a passion for fashion to be kinder on the environment and ethical sourced. Its capsule brands like this that are educating consumers to think harder about considered purchasing.
More and more of these brands are emerging, to mention some, Alternative Apparel, People Tree, Rent the Runway, Stine Goya are some of my faves and are changing the future of fashion. My all time favourite form of sustainable shopping and style is anything second-hand! I have shopped second-hand and vintage for as long as I have loved fashion, forever!!!
So why do I love shopping second hand, here are a few reasons:
1) Great value, you can pick up amazing brands and amazing product at amazing prices and usually get change too!
2) It avoids unwanted clothes going to landfill and becoming unnecessary waste, so kind on the environment!
3) You are buying a one off piece, its unique, so it’s highly likely you won’t bump into anyone else wearing the same item!
4) It contributes towards reduced demand in “fast fashion”, which is something we all want to slow up to save resources and reduce waste!
5) Its an amazing feeling when you find an absolute gem hidden amongst so much unwanted treasure, it’s why I love my job!
We are surrounded by ways to shop in this manner, from personal “shop my wardrobe” social media accounts, charity shops, second-hand retailer sites and not forgetting wardrobe swaps amongst friends!
Let’s work together to make more conscious purchasing decisions and also extend the life cycle of our clothing! Fancy wearing something new and exciting today….start with your wardrobe, I can guarantee there is plenty in there you have forgotten about of haven’t worn in a while that will feel like new!
For any help, shopping your wardrobe, help with pre loved style, finding second hand treasures or introductions to new sustainable brands please get in contact.